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Fantasy Football: Kerryon Johnson owners will be disappointed

By Dylan Tice

DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 18: Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson #33 celebrates his touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter at Ford Field on November 18, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 18: Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson #33 celebrates his touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter at Ford Field on November 18, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – AUGUST 24: Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson (33) warms up prior to the first half of an NFL preseason game between the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on August 24, 2018, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Fantasy Football: Kerryon Johnson owners will be disappointed

If you’re a fantasy football fanatic like myself, I’m sure that you have seen the majority of the fantasy industry hype up Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson. For what it’s worth, I like Johnson the player, but he will not be on any of my fantasy teams this fall. Hopefully, by the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll be convinced as well. In this article, we are going to address his 2018 week-to-week performance, the Lions offseason, and address Kerryon’s ADP.

Reasons to avoid Kerryon Johnson in fantasy football in 2019: 

Let’s start out by addressing the Lions offensive line. According to pro football focus, the Detroit Lions are currently ranked 17th, being placed in the bottom half of the league for OL so right off the bat we have concerns with the protection schemes for Johnson in an offense where his role may be marginalized.

A huge reason that I’m avoiding Kerryon is that not only do the Lions not want him to be a bell-cow, but even Kerryon himself has said he won’t be the bell-cow in Detroit. On June 18, 2018, just weeks after Kerryon was drafted, he told a reporter  “thirty carries a game, that’s obviously not going to happen here. It didn’t happen in college and it won’t happen in the NFL.”

The Lions solidified the case by signing Los Angeles Rams RB Malcolm Brown to an offer sheet on March 19th. The Rams ultimately matched the offer sheet, keeping Brown but weeks later on April 1st, they sign C.J Anderson to a 1-year deal, who is a huge upgrade over the former Lion LeGarrette Blount.

After signing with the Rams last year, Anderson went bonkers! He finished as the RB2 and RB5 in his 2 regular-season games with the Rams. In reality, everyone is expecting Kerryon to dominate and lead this Darren Bevell run-first offense in 2019 but they are mistaken. If Kerryon couldn’t get it done with Blount last season, how is he going to do it with Anderson in town this year?

Let’s start off by saying that in 2018, he finished as the RB33. Why is everyone in the fantasy football community love with selecting him in the 3rd or 4th round in 2019? Still not convinced? I happened to breakdown where Kerryon Johnson finished among the RB’s in fantasy on a week to week basis.

Week by Week Fantasy Finish:

Week 1- RB49

Week 2- RB28

Week 3- RB24

Week 4- RB24

Week 5- RB28

Week 6- N/A

Week 7- Bye

Week 8- RB23

Week 9- RB36

Week 10- RB13

Week 11- RB13

Week 12- 16 N/A

When reviewing how Kerryon did from a week to week basis, Kerryon had zero weeks as an RB1, 2 weeks as an RB2, 5 weeks as an RB3, and 2 weeks were he completely busted. He did miss multiple games last season and that’s everyone’s excuse for 2018, but we have to look at the games he played and realize that he was just mediocre last season.

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So where do we land?

It’s safe to say right now that there is a 0% chance I’m taking Kerryon Johnson in the third round this year. His current ADP has him going as the RB18, ahead of guys like Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Mark Ingram, Sony Michel, and Chris Carson.

Kerryon Johnson was inefficient last year, failing to be a top-12 fantasy running back once in 2018. The Detroit Lions attempted to get Malcolm Brown and ultimately signed one of the better backup running backs in football in C.J. Anderson. If Kerryon couldn’t be a lead back with Blount in town, there is no way he can be the lead back with Anderson in town.

The Detroit Lions OL is mediocre at best and frankly, the Lions offense as a whole isn’t even that good. They looked completely lost in 2018 and I really don’t think 2019 will be any different. The third round is way too early to take someone like Kerryon Johnson.

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